Don't you love it when citrus easy to peel? In fact, easy peel tangerines are a go-to for most busy households. Oranges and grapefruit might require a bit more focus to peel, and sometimes we feel impatient to get past that effort so we can just start eating. In other words, we mind the rinds. Out they go, into the trash or the compost bin.
But wait! Stop! Don't mind the rinds! In 2024, we did a blog on some amazing uses for citrus rinds. Since then, we've found even more.
Don't throw your citrus rinds away!
Window Sill (and More) Odor Busters
Perhaps the simplest and least labor intensive hack is to place your peels on windowsills around your home. The natural essential oils like limonene will be released gradually as the peels dehydrate over time, like a time-release all natural air freshener. If your window is open, the breezes will help carry the bright, invigorating scent around your home, effectively neutralizing old, stale, and musty odors.
Did your Aunt Bernice come over and warm up her famous onion garlic tuna casserole in your oven? No problem. This same concept can be applied to strong post-baking oven smells: place the peels on a baking sheet and set the oven to its lowest temperature. Watch in awe as crinkled up noses turn into wide open nostrils as the bright aroma of fresh citrus infuses the kitchen.
You can even save those dried peels in the oven for later use: some citrusy dessert recipes call for orange peel, and you'll have them right on hand. You can also infuse them in your tea for extra Vitamin C and antioxidant benefits.
Likewise, fresh peels can be added to dryer loads, drawers, closets, garbage cans, and anywhere else that would benefit from a steady effusion of citrus essential oil. No need to buy the expensive concentrate -- your favorite citrus fruit rinds will do the trick, and when they run out of smell, simply eat more citrus and get more rinds!
Bye-Bye Sugar Clumps
You know those little silica gel packs that come in granular and powdery foods? They keep the moisture out so that the granules or powders don't clump, giving these items a longer shelf life. Here's a twist: an orange peel in a sealed jar of brown sugar keeps the sugar from clumping by keeping the moisture in! That may seem counterintuitive until you look more closely at the chemistry of brown sugar: it contains molasses, which gives it a softer texture and its signature brown color.
A common problem for brown sugar is that it dries out and makes hard clumps after the package is opened. Keeping a semi-dried orange peel or two in the brown sugar container alleviates this problem. Likewise, if the brown sugar has already dried out, adding the peels after the fact and heating the sugar in the microwave for about fifteen seconds will restore it to its soft, moist texture.
Broccoli, Berries, and Beans, Oh My!
Citrus rinds are rich in potassium and nitrogen, both of which help your garden grow. While composting your peels might eventually result in beneficial rind-infused soil, you can get even more benefits by throwing chopped peels directly in the dirt around acid-loving plants such as broccoli, berries, and beans. Less is more: if you put in too many peels at a time, you might make the soil too acidic. Better to add small amounts regularly rather than a whole lot of rind at once. To boot, the peels help keep away plant-eating insects and even mammals with the munchies like rabbits and cats who like to use your garden as a botanical litter box.
Orange rind infused-water can also be a great disinfectant for your garden tools and surfaces, effectively keeping any dangerous chemicals from leaching into the soil. Rinds also come to the odor busting rescue again in smellier parts of your garden, such as compost, fertilizer, and manure piles. While you're outside tending to odor control, go ahead and throw some rinds into your outdoor garbage cans too! Your trash pickup crew will thank you.
Muddling the Issue
Muddling is a mixology term that means to gently crush something to release its full flavor. Citrus rinds have an esteemed place in the long history of cocktail chemistry, and much is written about when muddling is apropos, when it is not, and how to not over-muddle. This issue becomes quite complex for professional mixologists. For the rest of us, the general advice is: muddle away, but don't over-muddle, or the bright fragrant flavors of the orange oils will be replaced by the bitters of the pith. Lightly crushing orange and grapefruit rinds into cocktails, mocktails, and ice cubes can be a delightful hospitality "twist" for your social gatherings.
Whether odor-busting, sugar-saving, plant-growing, or drink-making, citrus rinds are amazing finds. With all of these uses, make sure to keep eating lots of delicious fruits so you have plenty of rinds in stock. Don't mind the rinds!
Sources:
https://homemaking.com/maka/tangerine-peels-on-your-windowsills/
https://thelostherbs.com/dont-throw-away-citrus-peels-do-this-instead/
https://www.thriftyfun.com/How-to-Soften-Brown-Sugar.html
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-use-orange-peels-in-your-garden-11915743
https://elevatingkitchen.com/do-you-muddle-orange-peel/
